Gill ready to lead India's charge against Sri Lanka

Skipper Shubman Gill and India will be hoping to return to World Test Championship action strongly against Sri Lanka in the first Test, following a 2-0 whitewash in their previous assignment against South Africa, last November.  

India sit fifth in the World Test Championship table with a points percentage of 48.15, and Gill knows a series win in Sri Lanka is vital to reviving their projected journey to the Ultimate Test at The Oval in June 2027.  

“I think we are taking all the right steps in the right direction and obviously the main goal is to play the, the World Test Championship final, which is next year.” Gill said on the eve of the first Test in Galle. 

“We have got about nine tests, and I think we have to win around six or seven to be able to have a good chance at qualifying.

“I think this is a very important series for us, and we have had the right kind of preparation leading up to the series.”

Gill recognised the quality available in this current squad, looking no further than Manav Suthar, who had a dream debut helping India to a record win over Afghanistan in June.  Suthar became only the fifth Indian to pick up a fifer on debut with a haul of 6/33.

“He's got the ability with the bat, we know he can, he can bat.” 

“Obviously at his level you need a bit of experience, you need some belief and confidence and that will only come once you are out there.” 

“He's someone with a great skill, with bowling and, he's got the potential to be able to be a really good number eight batsman as well.”

Speaking about the balance in the batting order, Gill reflected on how small contributions from tail-enders could help change the momentum of a Test.

"A batter bowls only if the other side has scored 400-500. It doesn't matter if a batter gets a wicket or not.

"But a lower-order batter must know how to bat, even if its seven, eight, nine or 10. Their contribution of 10, 15 or 20 runs can become important, especially in the first innings. 

"Even more so, if you're playing in sub-continent the Test matches move pretty fast on days three or four. So its important that the tailenders can contribute.

"They can frustrate the opponents and give us the momentum into the next innings.

In the centre of a quiet recent test period for India, stands an experienced figure in the form of Mohammed Siraj.  

The deceptive seamer has taken 140 wickets, with a bowling average of 29.74 since joining the set up in 2017, with his experience playing a vital part in the absence of frontline pacer Jasprit Bumrah for the series.

Gill will have options to pair with Siraj in this bowling attack including pacers Gurnoor Brar and Prasidh Krishna. Brar jumped onto the scene also against Afghanistan in June, recording three wickets in the victory.

“We do talk about their experiences and, how the game flows because it's very important to know every, every venue, every country has a different kind of flow.” 

“They both are very skilled bowlers and, they bowled really well in the practice match, we have seen how good he is, you know, with the old ball when nothing is happening, you need that bit of extra pace, extra bounce.” 

“I think Prasidh recently has been bowling, the best that I've ever seen him bowl in red ball and also in white ball.  

“It would be a very, tough decision for us to be able to just pick one.”